


The KGB was safer than American Suburbia

by kkool



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: 1940s, Alternate Universe - 1940s, Awesome Pepper Potts, BAMF Natasha, Background men, F/F, F/M, Female-Centric, Femslash, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-03-08
Updated: 2016-03-07
Packaged: 2018-05-25 10:23:14
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,640
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6191320
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kkool/pseuds/kkool
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It's been a few years after WWII ended and all Pepper's wants is some adventure, a chance to travel, a good and challenging job and the independence that comes with being on her own in NYC. Instead she's stuck being personal assistant to a man-child who needs constant reminders to eat and sleep. Natasha's just picked defection over dying and is now being partnered with a cocky sniper, a secret ninja-like paper pusher with bosses who think dressing in all black is cool and staplers are acceptable weapons. For her sins.<br/>Pepper would have preferred them meeting over coffee instead of over dead bodies.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The KGB was safer than American Suburbia

**Author's Note:**

> So the story was originally written for a Femslash exchange and was a one-shot. I loved the characters and wanted to try continuing into a longer story.  
> My first attempts at writing so I'd love some constructive feedback. Or any random words strung together will do really.  
> Also, I am not American so my idea of America in the 40's comes from Hollywood. I try not to make outlandish claims without research but bear with me!

Pepper sighed exasperatedly and told herself that murdering her employer would not look good on her resume. As an inventor, Anthony Stark was widely regarded as a genius. As the owner and CEO of Stark Industries (and thus Pepper’s boss), Tony was a constant headache to anyone who had to deal with his idiosyncrasies. “Mr. Stark… If you’d just sign these documents” she said, trying again to shove the documents in question into the, man’s face. Sometimes, the only way to get Tony to actually do his job is to hit him over the head with work when he’s not expecting it. Metaphorically of course. 

“Documents. Why do I need to sign documents? Isn’t that what I hired you for?”

“I’m your Personal Assistant Mr. Stark. Not the company’s CEO” Pepper pointed out but her employer had already moved onto to whatever tangent his brain had automatically jumped to next. 

“Could you make sure that we have an ice sculpture at tomorrow’s party? The bigger the better. I am thinking like a robot or something. Now what was the movie that just came out....?”

“Wait, for what party?” Pepper asked, desperately wracking her mind for any mention of a party in any of Tony’s numerous disconnected ramblings that she had been subjected to over the past few weeks. 

“Did I not mention the party yet? Oops… must have slipped my mind. Actually, no. I probably repressed all thought of it. God, I hate business parties. But Obadiah insisted I be in attendance this time. So….,” Tony threw up his hands angrily; unconcerned about the welding torch in his hand. “Anyway, if I’m going to be stuck in a room full of old, boring men in suits then I’m going to need some interesting people to cheer me up. See to it Miss. Potts.”

Taking the words a clear dismissal Pepper walked out of the garage they were in and back to the company’s main offices. Ignoring the whispers and glares of the people she passed by, Pepper walked over to the small, closet-sized space that was her office and smacked her face down on the desk with a groan. Tony loved coming up with more and more outlandish requests and expecting the people around him to make it happen. Jarvis, the family’s butler of many years, had warned her that this was Tony’s way of testing people but she honestly, Pepper was getting kind of tired of the long list of people trying to test her. PA to a volatile inventor and weapons manufacturer wasn’t exactly the job Pepper had been looking for. However, with the end of the war there weren’t a lot of jobs open, even for educated women of middle-class backgrounds. Hell, her parents weren’t even sure why she was even looking for a job given the large number of men who had been interested in marrying her back home. But Pepper was determined to have some adventure first before being forced to settle down and had set of for New York City to look for employment. The city was still reeling from the end of the Second World War and finding work had been difficult with the vast amount of returning soldiers. She had been a starting secretary at Stark Industries, when a chance encounter with Tony Stark had led to him being impressed with her competence and no-nonsense attitude and promoting her on the spot. Pepper loved the job; dealing with Tony Stark included, but was getting really tired of people assuming that this was all part of her plan to seduce the boss. It was only the thought of not wanting to give them the satisfaction of seeing her fail that made her dig out her folders to see who could deliver an ice sculpture on such short notice.  
\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
A sweeping glance of the ballroom told Natasha that their dramatic entry had been worth it. Half the room’s eyes were on them now. “Natasha dear”, the man on her arm asked with a sly smile, “I get the oddest felling that people are gossiping about us.”  
“If they’re gossiping about anyone”, Natasha laughed, “it’s probably you. After all your reputation as a scoundrel precedes you.”  
“Aha!” said Clint. “So they’re worried I’ll besmirch your honour. Is that it?”  
Natasha allowed a small smile to sneak through her defences. Clint Barton was an infuriating asshole but he was also one of the few people in the world she trusted enough to show any genuine emotion in front of. “Quit fooling around and help me find Carter, Natasha said. Sooner we can find our spy the sooner we can escape these white collar business men and suburban housewives.”  
The two of them weaved around the partygoers looking for their boss. Well their boss and their boss’s boss. Clint spotted them first – deep in conversation with two of the party’s guests. ‘Colonel Rhodes and Virginia (Pepper) Potts’ Natasha noted as she reviewed her mental files of the mission. Colonel Rhodes in his army uniform was exactly as she expected but looking at woman by his side Natasha was surprised. All pictures of the infamous Miss. Potts had been in plain, starched dresses. Today however, she was dressed in a gorgeous satin gown that left very little to the imagination. Natasha allowed herself a few seconds of lustful appreciation before they reached the group. “Miss Carter, Mr. Fury.” Natasha called out as they approached the agents. “I hope we are not too late.”  
“Given that Tony himself hasn’t made an appearance yet, I’m sure your lateness could be overlooked.” Colonel Rhodes joked.  
“I take it you work with Mr. Fury and Ms. Carter at the Home Office” Stark’s PA interjected. “It is a pleasure to meet you Mr. and Mrs. –“  
“Miss. Romanoff,” Natasha replied. “And this is Mr. Barton.”  
“Oh. My mistake,” the other woman apologized, blushing a little in embarrassment. “Well James and I need to check on Mr. Stark but I’m sure we’ll see you around later.”  
Natasha waited calmly until she was sure they were out of earshot before turning to the senior agents. “Ma’am, are we sure she’s going to attack here? A business party – even one of Stark’s doesn’t seem like something Yelena Belova would be interested in.”  
“I agree Agent, said Agent Margaret ‘Peggy’ Carter. “But all our intel suggests that she will be here and so here you will be keeping your eyes peeled for any sign of trouble. Is that clear? I want to find out what she’s here for and I want her stopped before she succeeds at it.”  
\-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
Pepper followed Tony around the room as he made his way from one guest to the other but most of her attention was focused on the beautiful woman she had met earlier. Pepper was not in habit of lying to herself and already knew that she was capable of the same physical and emotional attraction to people of all genders. But she had also believed that she wasn’t an overly passionate woman. One glimpse of the red headed woman walking down the stairs towards her had changed her mind about that. She had almost hoped that Natasha was married to the man on her arm. At least that would put her right out Pepper’s mind. Now she couldn’t get rid of the slight hope in the fact that Natasha seemed to have been eyeing her rather, well interestedly, while walking towards them. She was so intent on deciphering Natasha’s every word and glance that she almost missed Tony asking her to get some documents from a recent weapons sale. A quick apology to the others and Pepper set off to the offices SI had in the building. She clearly needed to put this whole thing out of her mind. It wasn’t like her job left a lot of room for a relationship of any kind let alone a secret relationship with a woman. She was just leaving the upper floor when she bumped out Tony’s mentor and business partner. “Oh I’m sorry Mr. Stane, I am afraid I wasn’t paying attention to where I was going. Um... what are you doing in the offices at this time of the night? Did Mr. Stark send you for the same documents?”  
\----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
“Mind in the game Natasha,” her partner called out, pulling Natasha from few fantasies that she would not be sharing with the class anytime soon. “Is this about the Miss. Potts that you were staring at like you wanted to devour her whole?”  
“Must you be se crude Clint?” she asked with a sign but didn’t bother correcting him. He had the best eyes in the business and knew her tastes ran towards members of the fairer sex. It wasn’t like she was going to be able to hide her attraction towards the PA. At least she knew he wouldn’t judge. They were about to finish their perimeter check and head back into the party when they heard a shrill scream. A quick glance at each other was all they needed to come a plan. Clint immediately set off for higher ground while Natasha ran towards the sound of the scream. Turning sharply round the corner caused her to smash full tilt into Pepper. The woman looked shaken but determined and didn’t waste any time letting her know what was going on. “One of Mr. Stark’s employee’s been hurt, she said. I need you to run down and call for help while I stay with him.”  
Natasha spared a moment to be impressed with Pepper’s ability to keep her head in a crisis before taking the woman by the hand and pulling her away from a group of people coming up the stairs. “I have some medical training. Let me help him Miss. Potts, while you go call for an ambulance.”

**Author's Note:**

> Let me know what you think!


End file.
